LPL Financial (LPLA) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $29.92B
• Dividend Yield: 0.32%
• Average Volume (3M): 869.47K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 25.6
• Beta (1Y): 1.01
• Revenue Growth: 29.23%
• EPS Growth: 13.45%
• Country: US
• Employees: 9,118
• Sector: Financial
• Sector Strength: 64
• Industry: Financial - Capital Markets
• EPS (TTM): 4.51
• Shares Outstanding: 80,004,105
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 1,102,227
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 869,470
• PEG Ratio: N/A
• Price to Book (P/B): 0.00
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.00
• P/FCF Ratio: 0.00
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.07
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 2.42
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 5.26
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 13.32
• 1Y Price Target: $443.00
• Price Target Upside: 18.27% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Moderate Buy
• Number of Analyst Covering: 12

• Rating: 74 Outperform
• Price Target: $424.00 ▲(13.20% Upside)

LPL Financial's strong financial performance and strategic acquisitions drive a positive outlook, but high leverage, declining cash flow, and valuation concerns temper the overall score.

Positive Factors

Client Asset Growth

Client asset growth was 28% from strong market gains, industry-leading recruiting, and recent deals.

Earnings

LPL continued its long record of beats, with adjusted EPS driven by lower expenses.

Negative Factors

Client Cash Levels

May's client cash balance is below consensus's estimate for the quarter.

Consensus Expectations

QTD LPL is tracking below consensus expectations for the quarter.

LPL Financial Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (LPLA) is a leading diversified financial services company that provides an integrated platform of brokerage and investment advisory services to independent financial advisors and financial institutions across the United States. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Diego, California, LPL Financial offers a comprehensive array of financial products, including mutual funds, annuities, equities, fixed income, alternative investments, and insurance products. It supports more than 19,000 financial advisors and approximately 800 financial institutions, helping them serve millions of investors with innovative tools, research, and technology solutions.

How the Company Makes Money

LPL Financial generates revenue through various streams primarily linked to its brokerage and advisory services. The company earns commissions and fees from the trading and sale of financial products, such as mutual funds, annuities, and insurance products. Additionally, LPL Financial collects asset-based fees for advisory services and manages various investment accounts. Another significant revenue source comes from the interest income generated from client cash balances held in advisory accounts. The firm also benefits from strategic partnerships and alliances with financial institutions, enhancing its product offerings and expanding its client base. Overall, LPL Financial's revenue model heavily relies on the success of its network of independent financial advisors and their ability to attract and manage client assets.

LPL Financial Financial Statement Overview

Summary

LPL Financial demonstrates strong revenue growth and profitability, supported by a robust balance sheet with no debt and increasing equity. However, cash flow metrics suggest potential liquidity challenges due to increased capital expenditures. Attention to cash flow management will be crucial to sustaining long-term financial health.

Income Statement

LPL Financial has shown impressive revenue growth over the years, with a significant increase from $2.35 billion in 2021 to $12.39 billion in 2024. Gross profit margin stands strong at 90.0% for 2024, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin slightly decreased from 10.6% in 2023 to 8.5% in 2024, suggesting increased expenses or cost pressures impacting net profitability. Overall, the income statement reveals robust growth and solid profitability metrics.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet shows a healthy improvement in equity, with stockholders' equity rising from $2.08 billion in 2023 to $2.93 billion in 2024. The debt-to-equity ratio improved significantly as total debt was eliminated by 2024. ROE is strong at 36.1% for 2024, reflecting effective utilization of equity in generating profits. The equity ratio at 22.0% indicates a moderate reliance on equity financing. Overall, the balance sheet is stable with a strong equity position and reduced debt levels.

Cash Flow

Cash flow analysis reveals a concerning decline in free cash flow from $109.3 million in 2023 to -$284.9 million in 2024, primarily due to a significant increase in capital expenditures. The operating cash flow to net income ratio decreased as well, indicating less cash generation relative to earnings. Despite these challenges, the company has effectively managed operating cash flows historically. Overall, the cash flow situation shows potential strain due to high capital investments.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	13.22B	12.39B	10.05B	3.06B	2.35B	2.00B
Gross Profit	6.08B	3.37B	3.05B	1.95B	1.35B	1.10B
EBITDA	2.40B	2.11B	1.99B	1.53B	832.02M	908.93M
Net Income	1.09B	1.06B	1.07B	845.70M	459.87M	472.64M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	13.96B	13.32B	10.39B	9.48B	7.99B	6.52B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	1.35B	1.01B	541.76M	847.52M	495.25M	808.61M
Total Debt	5.96B	5.75B	3.96B	2.72B	2.81B	2.59B
Total Liabilities	10.84B	10.39B	8.31B	7.31B	6.32B	5.21B
Stockholders Equity	3.12B	2.93B	2.08B	2.17B	1.67B	1.31B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	-369.48M	-284.94M	109.33M	1.64B	237.15M	634.41M
Operating Cash Flow	191.50M	277.59M	512.61M	1.95B	453.13M	789.94M
Investing Cash Flow	-1.66B	-1.59B	-860.19M	-376.40M	-458.64M	-187.50M
Financing Cash Flow	1.50B	1.42B	-208.53M	-504.27M	278.84M	-275.19M

LPL Financial Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Neutral
• Last Price: 374.57
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For LPLA, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 374.57 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 379.49, below the 50-day MA of 378.25, and above the 200-day MA of 341.48, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 1.52 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 47.02 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 36.59 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for LPLA.

LPL Financial Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
RJF	78 Outperform	$33.62B	16.35	18.22%	1.20%	9.01%	14.86%
TW	75 Outperform	$33.23B	54.17	9.51%	0.32%	27.97%	28.39%
SF	75 Outperform	$11.53B	21.69	11.11%	1.58%	8.75%	10.32%
LPLA	74 Outperform	$29.92B	25.58	29.46%	0.32%	29.23%	13.45%
MKTX	68 Neutral	$7.79B	36.37	16.42%	1.44%	7.68%	-14.39%
JEF	68 Neutral	$11.90B	21.87	5.75%	2.68%	1.00%	46.98%
Sector *	67 Neutral	¥764.30B	11.15	7.42%	3.20%	7.66%	14.08%

LPL Financial Corporate Events

LPL Financial Completes Acquisition of Commonwealth Financial

On August 1, 2025, LPL Financial Holdings Inc. completed its acquisition of Commonwealth Financial Network, a wealth management firm with around 3,000 advisors managing $305 billion in assets. This acquisition, initially announced on March 31, 2025, is expected to enhance LPL’s service offerings and market position by integrating Commonwealth’s premium service culture and award-winning advisor experience. Commonwealth will continue to operate as a wholly-owned portfolio company, with its CEO Wayne Bloom joining LPL’s management committee. The onboarding of Commonwealth advisors to LPL’s platform is anticipated to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.

The most recent analyst rating on (LPLA) stock is a Buy with a $397.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on LPL Financial stock, see the LPLA Stock Forecast page.

LPL Financial Signs Consulting Agreement with Althea Brown

On May 3, 2025, Althea Brown resigned as the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. Subsequently, on July 2, 2025, the company entered into a Consulting Agreement with her to assist in the transition of her responsibilities until September 20, 2025. The agreement waives her obligation to repay approximately $270,000 related to her sign-on bonus and relocation expenses, and allows her restricted stock units to continue vesting. This move ensures a smooth transition and maintains stability within the company’s legal operations.

The most recent analyst rating on (LPLA) stock is a Buy with a $397.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on LPL Financial stock, see the LPLA Stock Forecast page.

LPL Financial’s Chief Legal Officer Resigns

On May 30, 2025, Althea Brown announced her resignation as the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc., effective June 30, 2025. After 28 years in executive roles, she plans to take a career break. Ms. Brown will assist in developing a transition plan as the company searches for her successor, potentially impacting the company’s legal and corporate governance operations.

The most recent analyst rating on (LPLA) stock is a Buy with a $397.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on LPL Financial stock, see the LPLA Stock Forecast page.

LPL Financial Stockholders Approve Key Proposals at Annual Meeting

On May 22, 2025, LPL Financial held its annual meeting of stockholders where several key proposals were voted on. The stockholders elected ten nominees to serve as directors until the 2026 annual meeting, ratified Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the current fiscal year, and approved the executive compensation on an advisory basis.

The most recent analyst rating on (LPLA) stock is a Buy with a $405.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on LPL Financial stock, see the LPLA Stock Forecast page.